Latest news with #VandenBergh
Daily Mirror
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Dimitri van den Bergh makes 'get out of there' admission after darts withdrawal
Dimitri Van den Bergh has opened up on the reasons behind his sudden break from darts earlier this year, having returned to the oche for the World Cup of Darts Dimitri Van den Bergh has made his return to competitive darts at the World Cup of Darts following a recent hiatus that began in April. The 30-year-old chose to step back from the sport indefinitely after suddenly pulling out of a Players Championship event just minutes before his scheduled match, later explaining that he "had to get out of there." Van den Bergh resumed play on Thursday, teaming up with Mike De Decker to represent Belgium in the tournament held in Frankfurt. The pair kicked off their campaign strongly with a 4-1 victory over Latvia in Group B, but then suffered a shock 4-3 defeat to the Philippines to finish in second place - marking Belgium's first elimination in the group stage in World Cup history. Van den Bergh's reappearance comes after a mysterious and sudden exit from the professional scene, which he attributed to both mental strain and physical exhaustion following seven demanding years on the PDC Pro Tour. He notably withdrew moments before facing Jose De Sousa during Players Championship 13 on April 14, catching fans and fellow competitors off guard. The following day, he was also absent from Players Championship 14, further fuelling speculation. In the weeks that followed, Van den Bergh went completely silent - disappearing from public view and staying away from media. He has since shared that he had hit a personal breaking point, prompting him to step back, reset mentally, and reconnect with loved ones. Speaking to HLN this week, Van den Bergh recalled: "I was in the wrong place in Rosmalen, and I had to get out of there. "I was preparing myself and no part of my body said that I was ready to play a tournament, let alone win. I let it get this far myself... but sometimes you just have to dare to take a step back to take a few steps forward. Rejuvenate well. That's what I'm fully engaged in." He also told Het Nieuwsblad: "I was in a difficult position, so I had to take a step back. That was daring. But only in this way can I possibly take several steps forward in time. I have received a lot of support since then, sometimes from surprising places. "That has been nice. There is more to life than darts, I am also sometimes told. They are right. I played all the tournaments for a very long time, but now I know I need to manage a lot more." His long-time manager, Mac Elkin, who has overseen Van den Bergh's career for 12 years and helped guide him to a UK Open title in 2024, acknowledged that the hectic tour schedule had left the Belgian star feeling "burnt out." Elkin commented: "I speak to Dimi every day and he sounds hugely positive. He has chosen to finally take a real rest. Dimi has been playing every tournament on the calendar for 10 years, and that has taken its toll. So like everyone else, he needed a break, to get away from it all. "I'm sitting here in the sun right now, recharging my batteries. Only then will I feel like doing my job again. Just ask Luke Humphries and Michael Smith what they think of the busy schedule. For both, there was a moment in their careers when they wanted to quit. "The season is so packed. And Dimi - who also has to travel often for tournaments - had to play everything because of his ranking. Then on top of that came the Premier League and the World Series. He just completely burnt himself out." In his seven previous World Cup appearances, Van den Bergh has reached the semi-final stage four times, mostly with Kim Huybrechts as his partner. He'll now have to wait until next year to go one further and book Belgium's place in the final for just the second time - and the first since 2013.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘I did what I had to do' – World Darts semi-finalist retires from PDC tour aged just 30
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DIMITRI VAN DEN BERGH has announced he is not returning to darts full-time. The Belgian, 30, stepped away from the sport in April to focus on his mental health. 1 Dimitri Van den Bergh has announced he is leaving the PDC Tour full-time Credit: Rex Van den Bergh is a member of the Belgian squad for this weekend's World Cup Darts in Germany. Teaming up with Mike De Decker, Belgium began their campaign with a 4-1 group stage win over Latvia. But following Thursday's victory, The Dreammaker revealed he will not return to the PDC Tour. Van den Bergh said: "There was so much attention on me. I had talk show requests from Belgium, Germany, England, and Holland. READ MORE ON DARTS World Cup of Darts Belgium and Netherlands on later, England's Littler and Humphries wait "Everyone wanted interviews and I just didn't feel it was the right time to talk. "I didn't have the right perception of the whole situation. It was all too much at the time. "I stepped back to take a few steps forward and tonight proves I'm heading in the right direction. "This is me being back managing my career because full-time professional is just not good for my family." BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Van den Bergh indicated he will still compete in select events. He continued: I've got a second kid coming next month. 'Early to be losing your rag' - Commentator blasts darts star as he has MELTDOWN in just second leg "So me and my manager and my sponsors, we already know what's going to go down. "It's going to be professional in a different level, but I'm ready for it." Van den Bergh received his PDC Tour Card in 2015. The 30-year-old is currently the World No. 22, with his highest ranking No. 5 in 2021. A World Championship semi-final, Dimi has previously won the UK Open and the World Matchplay, as well as three Players Championship titles.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘I did what I had to do' – World Darts semi-finalist retires from PDC tour aged just 30
DIMITRI VAN DEN BERGH has announced he is not returning to darts full-time. The Belgian, 30, Advertisement 1 Dimitri Van den Bergh has announced he is leaving the PDC Tour full-time Credit: Rex Van den Bergh is a member of the Belgian squad for this weekend's World Cup Darts in Germany. Teaming up with But following Thursday's victory, The Dreammaker revealed he will not return to the PDC Tour. Van den Bergh said: "There was so much attention on me. I had talk show requests from Belgium, Germany, England, and Holland. Advertisement READ MORE ON DARTS "Everyone wanted interviews and I just didn't feel it was the right time to talk. "I didn't have the right perception of the whole situation. It was all too much at the time. "I stepped back to take a few steps forward and tonight proves I'm heading in the right direction. "This is me being back managing my career because full-time professional is just not good for my family." Advertisement Most read in Darts BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Van den Bergh indicated he will still compete in select events. He continued: I've got a second kid coming next month. 'Early to be losing your rag' - Commentator blasts darts star as he has MELTDOWN in just second leg "So me and my manager and my sponsors, we already know what's going to go down. Advertisement "It's going to be professional in a different level, but I'm ready for it." Van den Bergh received his PDC Tour Card in 2015. The 30-year-old is currently the World No. 22, with his highest ranking No. 5 in 2021. A World Championship semi-final, Dimi has previously won the UK Open and the World Matchplay, as well as three Players Championship titles. Advertisement Depression... the signs to look for and what to do Depression can manifest in many ways. We all feel a bit low from time to time. But depression is persistent and can make a person feel helpless and unable to see a way through. They may also struggle to about daily life. Mind says these are some common signs of depression that you may experience: How you might feel Down, upset or tearful Restless, agitated or irritable Guilty, worthless and down on yourself Empty and numb Isolated and unable to relate to other people Finding no pleasure in life or things you usually enjoy Angry or frustrated over minor things A sense of unreality No self-confidence or self-esteem Hopeless and despairing Feeling tired all the time How you might act Avoiding social events and activities you usually enjoy Self-harming or suicidal behaviour Difficulty speaking, thinking clearly or making decisions Losing interest in sex Difficulty remembering or concentrating on things Using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual Difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much No appetite and losing weight, or eating more than usual and gaining weight Physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause Moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated If you feel this way, visit your GP who can help you. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support. The following are free to contact and confidential: Samaritans, CALM (the leading movement against suicide in men) Papyrus (prevention of young suicide) Shout (for support of all mental health) Mind, Rethink Mental Illness,
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
World Cup of Darts team-mates ignored each other on stage as feud escalated
Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts formed one of the most explosive partnerships in World Cup of Darts history, but they won't play together at the 2025 event One of the most infamous pairings in World Cup of Darts history has been broken up. For the first time at the event, which is underway in Frankfurt, Belgian No.1 Dimitri Van den Bergh and World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker have teamed up for their country as they bid to topple overwhelming favourites, Luke Littler and Luke Humphries of England. At the last two tournaments, Van den Bergh has been paired with Kim Huybrechts, with dramatic and hilarious consequences. Prior to the start of the 2023 event, unbeknownst to most observers, the pair had had a spectacular falling out and were not on speaking terms. And they made no secret of their animosity towards each other during their opening match, a 4-0 win against Finland. The pair couldn't even bring themselves to look at each other during the tie. At the end of the game, there was no handshake or hug. Instead, as Van den Bergh danced around the stage in customary fashion, Huybrechts made a hasty exit. Realising they had embarrassed themselves and Belgian darts, the pair released a statement, vowing to put on a more united front in their next matches. The statement said: 'Following last night's win at the My Diesel Claim World Cup of Darts, we have sat down to discuss our recent differences. 'Whilst some issues remain to be resolved in the fullness of time, we are both fully committed to doing our best as a team to win the World Cup of Darts for Belgium, and to represent ourselves, our families and our country in the best light. That begins with tonight's game against China, and our focus is now on preparing for that match as a team." Amid speculation over the root of their feud, there were claims it stemmed from Van den Bergh making a complaint to the PDC about Huybrechts. The pair did indeed manage to put their differences aside for the rest of the tournament. Having given each other the cold shoulder, the pair looked like bosom buddies in their following matches. High-fives and hugs were suddenly the order of the day, much to the amusement of watching fans. Their newfound camaraderie threatened to take them all the way, but eventual champions Wales ended their dramatic run at the semi-final stage. However, that run failed to bring them closer together and on the eve of last year's tournament, Van den Bergh revealed that he and Huybrechts were still at odds. He told Sky Sports: 'I wasn't interested in anything of that. Everybody needs to know that me and Kim are not best friends, and that's period.' As a result, speculation was rife over how they could co-exist at the 2024 event. Speaking after their group stage win over Singapore, Van den Bergh attempted to play down their rift, saying: 'We're here for Belgium. We have learned a lot from last year. We haven't showed the best in the first game last year and this year we're in the position to say we've got to grow up, we've got to be adults. 'We've got a whole load of pressure on ourselves. What is that, our national colours. That means so much more to us as a person and in that case that means even more to us as a country. That's what we're doing and need to be doing, and that's being professional.' The pair made it through to the last four again, only to suffer a heavy defeat to Austria in what could be the last time they join forces following the emergence of De Decker, who is now Belgium's top-ranked player, just ahead of Van den Bergh, while Huybrechts has tumbled down the rankings. This year, fifth seeds Belgium are in Group B with Latvia and the Philippines. The winners of each group advance to the second round, where the top four seeds, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, enter the competition.
Scottish Sun
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘I will come back stronger' – Darts star breaks silence for the first time since taking indefinite leave from the sport
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DIMITRI VAN DEN BERGH has broken his silence after taking a break from darts. The star has struggled this season and too the decision to step away from the sport earlier this month. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Dimitri Van den Bergh has broken his silence amid his darts absence Credit: Getty The Belgian has put his career on hold after disappointing results saw him slip down the world rankings to 21st place. That led him to withdraw from a Players Championship event just minutes before he was set to take on Jose de Sousa. Van den Bergh, 30, warmed up as usual for the clash before pulling out as he did not feel ready to play. He has not played since a 6-4 defeat to world No94 Brett Claydon at the Players Championship on April 9. READ MORE ON DARTS 'We've all been there' Darts star in X-rated gesture before suffering heartbreaking loss His partner Evi shared an update saying a full statement would be released at an appropriate time. And now Van den Bergh has issued an update, thanking his fans for their support. He said: "I wanna put a little message out there to all the support that I am receiving. "Thank you sooo much to you all! Appreciate it all one million per cent. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Premier League Darts 2025 THE Premier League Darts is back with eight players vying for massive prize money and Luke Littler's crown. The teenager, who went on to win the world title in December, won the Premier League in 2024 and will be looking to defend his crown over 18 thrilling weeks. There were two new entries this season, with Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey replacing Peter Wright and Michael Smith. Luke Humphries, Rob Cross, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall keep their place in what will be a hotly-contested title race. INFORMATION Full schedule and results, dates, TV and live stream info Latest standings as we head to Finals night How much prize money is on offer in the Premier League? LATEST DARTS NEWS Aspinall reveals shoulder was DISLOCATED before Premier League tie Michael van Gerwen will NOT represent the Netherlands at the World Cup Luke Littler to appear in special outdoor darts event SEASON SO FAR Night One - Belfast Night Two - Glasgow Night Three - Dublin Night Four - Exeter Night Five - Brighton Night Six - Nottingham Night Seven - Cardiff Night Eight - Newcastle Night Nine - Berlin Night 10 - Manchester Night 11 - Rotterdam Night 12 - Liverpool "I will come back stronger." The next big event for Van den Bergh will be the World Cup, but it remains to be seen whether he will line up alongside his team-mate Mike De Decker.
